Method and apparatus for simultaneous optimization of distributed generation and hydrogen production

• US 7,444,189 B1
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Generation, LLC
• Original Assignee: John Joseph Marhoefer
• Inventors: Marhoefer, John Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Application Number:
  US10/867,969
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 700/226, 700/273, 700/274, 700/287, 700/291, 307/11, 705/412, 705/410
• US Class Current: 700/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/402 Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators combination of fuel cells with other electrochemical generator H01M16/003
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2250/405 Cogeneration of heat or hot water
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/065 by dissolution of metals or alloys; by dehydriding metallic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0656 by electrochemical means H01M8/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/20 The dispersed energy generation being of renewable origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/28 The renewable source being wind energy wind motors F03D
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/40 wherein a plurality of decentralised, dispersed or local energy generation technologies are operated simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/10 Applications of fuel cells in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/76 Power conversion electric or electronic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

An energy optimization method and control apparatus may be used in a single building or a group of buildings to optimize utility-supplied and renewable sources in order to minimize the total energy cost. Simultaneously, it may also produce and store hydrogen gas that can be used to fuel hydrogen powered vehicles, provide a means for independent production of electricity and thermal energy, or both. Various factors, such as the production of thermal energy and electricity from the renewable sources, the current store of hydrogen, the current and expected thermal and electricity requirements of the building (based on a profile), the current and expected electricity loads of the equipment used to process hydrogen, the expected thermal and electricity generating capacity of the renewable sources and other factors can be used to determine the mix of renewable-based and utility-based energy that minimizes the total energy cost.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing the use of utility-supplied energy sources and renewable energy sources, the method comprising:

optimizing a stored volume of hydrogen, wherein the stored volume of hydrogen is created from utility-provided energy sources or renewable energy sources, and wherein the stored volume of hydrogen is optimized using a first formula that includes parameters accounting for energy requirements of a building, energy requirements of at least one hydrogen powered vehicle, and user-configurable optimization criteria; and

optimizing respective amounts of power obtained from the utility-provided energy sources, produced by the renewable energy sources, and produced by converting hydrogen in the stored volume of hydrogen to energy, wherein the respective amounts of power are optimized according to a second formula that is dependent on the first formula.

2. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing the stored volume of hydrogen comprises producing a specified volume of hydrogen as rapidly as possible while minimizing a total cost for producing the specified volume of hydrogen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing the stored volume of hydrogen comprises producing a specified volume of hydrogen within a predefined amount of time while minimizing a total cost for producing the specified volume of hydrogen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing the stored volume of hydrogen comprises producing a specified volume of hydrogen between a first time of day and a second time of day while minimizing a total cost of producing the specified volume of hydrogen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first formula is Y=a1X1+a2X2+a3X3, wherein X1 is the output capability of a natural gas reformer, X2 is the electrolysis capability and direct renewables to hydrogen capability that the renewable energy sources can provide to the production of hydrogen, X3 is the electrolysis capability that a utility-provided power grid can provide to the production of hydrogen, and wherein a1, a2 and a3 are constants.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second formula is Z=b1Y1+b2Y2+b3Y3+Y, wherein Y1 is a requirement of thermal energy from natural gas, wherein Y2 is an available supply of electricity and thermal energy from renewable sources, Y3 is a requirement of electricity from the utility-provided power grid, and wherein b1, b2 and b3 are constants.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein Z further includes variables accounting for historical and projected profiles of various forms of energy supply, and wherein Y includes variables allowing for a range of hydrogen volumes and a timeframe for producing the hydrogen volumes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing the stored volume of hydrogen comprises optimizing the stored volume of hydrogen based on combined energy requirements for at least two buildings and at least one hydrogen-powered vehicle.

10. A method for an energy management system to optimize energy costs associated with providing energy from different sources for use within a building, the method comprising:

determining an energy requirement for a building and a hydrogen fuel requirement for at least one hydrogen-powered vehicle;

determining at least one user-defined scenario governing production of hydrogen from utility-supplied energy sources and renewable energy sources;

optimizing an amount of stored hydrogen according to the energy requirement for the building, the hydrogen fuel requirement for the hydrogen-powered vehicle, and the user-defined scenario; and

optimizing respective amounts of energy consumed from the utility-supplied energy sources and the renewable energy sources according to the energy requirement for the building, the fuel requirement for the hydrogen-powered vehicle and the user-defined scenario; and

wherein optimizing an amount of stored hydrogen comprises optimizing the amount of stored hydrogen according to an independent formula that includes as parameters;

an output capability of a natural gas reformer an electrolysis capability that renewable energy sources provide to producing hydrogen, a direct renewables to hydrogen capability that renewable energy sources provide to producing hydrogen and an electrolysis capability that a utility-supplied electric grid provides to producing hydrogen.

11. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 10.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein optimizing an amount of stored hydrogen comprises optimizing the amount of stored hydrogen according to a dependent formula that includes as parameters:

a requirement of thermal energy from natural gas, an available supply of electricity and thermal energy from renewable sources, a requirement of electricity from the utility-supplied electric grid, and the independent formula.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the user-defined scenario specifies an amount of hydrogen to be produced as rapidly as possible while minimizing a total energy cost.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the user-defined scenario specifies an amount of hydrogen to be produced within a given time period while minimizing a total energy cost.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the user-defined scenario specifies an amount of hydrogen to be produced between two specified times of day while minimizing a total energy cost.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the user-defined scenario specifies a range of hydrogen to be stored while minimizing a total energy cost.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the user-defined scenario specifies that energy be provided to the building at a minimum cost regardless of which sources are used.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the user-defined scenario specifies drawing energy solely from utility-supplied sources and not from renewable sources.

19. A method for optimizing energy costs for a networked group of buildings, the method comprising:

for the networked group of buildings, optimizing the utilization of energy obtained from utility-supplied energy sources, renewable energy sources, and stored hydrogen according to a optimization function, and

wherein the networked group of buildings includes N buildings, and wherein the optimization function is of the form Z=b1Y1+b2Y2+b3Y3+Z1+Z2+ . . . +Zn, wherein Y1, Y2 and Y3 are variables defining energy requirements and resources for the group of networked buildings wherein b1, b2 and b3 are constants, and wherein Z1 . . . Zn are respective energy optimization functions for each building in the networked group of buildings.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising optimizing an amount of stored hydrogen for use by buildings in the networked group of buildings, wherein the stored hydrogen is generated from the utility-supplied energy sources and the renewable energy sources, and wherein the amount of stored hydrogen is optimized according to the optimization function.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the optimization function includes variables defining energy requirements and resources for the networked group of buildings and also includes variables defining energy optimization criteria for each building in the networked group of buildings.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein Z1 . . . Zn are respective dependent optimization functions for each building in the networked group of buildings, and wherein each dependent optimization function optimizes amounts of power for the respective building to be obtained from utility-provided energy sources, renewable energy sources and converting stored hydrogen into energy.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each dependent optimization function for a building in the networked group of buildings is dependent on a respective independent optimization function, and wherein each independent optimization function optimizes a stored volume of hydrogen created from energy obtained from the utility-provided energy sources or the renewable energy sources.

30. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 19.

24. A method for optimizing energy production and usage in a group of networked buildings, the method comprising:

determining electric and thermal energy requirements for each building in the group of networked buildings;

determining an energy requirement for at least one hydrogen powered vehicle;

optimizing a stored volume of hydrogen, wherein the stored volume of hydrogen is created from utility-provided energy sources or renewable energy sources, and wherein the stored volume of hydrogen is optimized based on the electric and thermal energy requirements for each building in the group of networked buildings and also based on the energy requirements for the at least one hydrogen powered vehicle; and

optimizing respective amounts of power obtained from the utility-provided energy sources, produced by the renewable energy sources, and produced by converting hydrogen in the stored volume of hydrogen to energy.

25. A computer readable medium having stored therein instructions for causing a processor to execute the method of claim 24.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein optimizing a stored volume of hydrogen comprises:

optimizing an amount of hydrogen stored at a first location accessible by only a first building in the group of networked buildings; and

optimizing an amount of hydrogen stored at a second location accessible by more than one building in the group of buildings and also accessible by a fueling station used to provide hydrogen to hydrogen powered vehicles.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein optimizing respective amounts of power obtained from the utility-provided energy sources, produced by the renewable energy sources, and produced by converting hydrogen in the stored volume of hydrogen comprises:

determining an amount of power for the first building to be obtained from converting hydrogen stored at the first location into energy;

determining an amount of power for the first building to be obtained from converting hydrogen stored at the second location into energy.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein optimizing respective amounts of power obtained from the utility-provided energy sources, produced by the renewable energy sources, and produced by converting hydrogen in the stored volume of hydrogen to energy comprises:

for each building in the group of networked buildings, determining an amount of power for the building to be obtained from utility-provided energy sources, an amount of power to be obtained from renewable energy sources; and

notifying each building of the respective amounts of power to be obtained from the utility-provided and renewable energy sources.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein optimizing a stored volume of hydrogen comprises:

for each building in a group of networked buildings, determining an amount of hydrogen to be generated from renewable energy sources associated with that building and to be stored in a location subsequently accessible by that building; and

notifying each building of the respective amount of hydrogen to be generated and stored by that building.